◆
It takes me ten hours to create the new smithing quarter. Moreover, I connect the smithing quarter and the second sector through a 【Transfer Array】, and convert all of the floors of the second sector into mines.
“…I completely used up the 9000 CP, huh?” (Shion)
“Yeah, but if it’s only that, 《Random Creation》――” (Yataro)
“I won’t use it.” (Shion)
Interrupting Yataro’s nonsense, I gaze at the completed quarter.
The smithies are set up right next to a water wheel, erected so that it would face a river extending into three forks. There are four smithies in total. All of them are large enough to allow more than ten people to work in them at the same time. If you peek in one of them, you’re first greeted by a huge furnace. Metallic work platforms ― anvils are positioned close to the furnace. Each of the smithies is used for something else: one exclusively for Akira, one for weapon smithing, one for armor smithing, and the last one for all the other smithing jobs. In addition to the smithies, I also created 50 houses for the dwarves to live in within the quarter.
“The facilities are ready. Run a test by making an 【Iron Sword】.” (Shion)
“Got it.” (Akira)
Akira nods, and throws the provided 【Iron Ingot】 onto the furnace’s fire. Afterwards, she keeps molding the heated 【Iron Ingot】 into the shape of a sword, by skillfully using her hammer and tongs.
――Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal clashing against metal reverberates through the smithy.
Akira strikes down her hammer, incises with the chisel, and shapes the blade with a grinder, while donning a serious look. She keeps changing and forming the former lump of iron, the 【Iron Ingot】, into a sword.
“…Nn, not bad.”
After around half an hour of work, Akira hands the sword to me.
Hmm… It’s still warm.
Unfortunately I lack the skill to appraise it, but somehow it seems to sparkle more strongly than an 【Iron Sword】 created with 《Item Creation》.
“Rina, what do you think?” (Shion)
I pass the Iron Sword to Rina, who has observed the smithing process with me.
“Hmm…”
Rina swings the sword several times, before bisecting a log I throw at her.
“I think it has a better cutting ability than an【Iron Sword】 created by you, Shion.” (Rina)
Rina lowers her eyes to the sword blade that just cut the log apart, and reports her experience of using it.
“Akira, can you also do stuff like remodeling or reinforcing, by the way?”
“As long as I have the materials.” (Akira)
“Rina, pass me Dáinsleif.” (Shion)
“Whoa? Is it really OK for my sword to be first?” (Rina)
“I don’t mind.” (Shion)
I hand Dáinsleif to Akira, after receiving it from Rina.
“You’re going to use it?” (Akira)
“I’m Rina. Nice to meet you.” (Rina)
As Akira looks up to Rina, Rina smiles and holds out her hand.
“Understood. Any demands?” (Akira)
“Demands?” (Rina)
“Weight, length, sharpness…anything.” (Akira)
“Let’s see…” (Rina)
Afterwards, Rina informs Akira of her requirements in great detail, while Akira nods silently.
“Understood. Shion, please give me four 【Demonic Ores】, two 【Silver Sand】, and one 【Flame Stone】.” (Akira)
“Wait a sec.” (Shion)
I search for the items mentioned by Akira on my smartphone.
――!
“Are those really necessary?” (Shion)
“Yep.” (Akira)
500 CP were required to alchemize Dáinsleif, an extraordinarily low price for a unique item. Maybe it’s something like a teaser, to test out unique items. On the other hand, the 【Demonic Ores】 Akira mentioned just now cost 200 CP each. 【Silver Sand】 costs 25 CP, and a 【Flame Stone】 goes for 100 CP. In short, all in all, 950 CP are necessary.
“Can 【Demonic Ores】 be mined?”
“No idea. I alchemized it.” (Akira)
“Apparently silver ore will turn into 【Demonic Ore】if it sits for a certain amount of time in a mine with high mana concentration ― or to be precise, a place where monsters above rank C live.” (Kanon)
What’s with those background settings…? It’s information you’d never find out if you didn’t invest BP into Knowledge.
That means, it’d be smart to deploy many subordinates with a lot of mana in the second sector.
Whatever. I alchemize the items Akira asked for, and hand them over to her.
After receiving the materials, Akira first tosses the 【Flame Stone】 into the furnace. In response, the flames in the furnace blaze up, like they’re getting excited. Next Akira throws Dáinsleif and the 【Demonic Ores】 into the furnace’s fire, and starts beating them with her hammer.
Every so often she calls Rina over, and checks the shape of her hands, just to continue hitting Dáinsleif with her hammer afterwards.
Akira repeatedly strikes Dáinsleif with her hammer, and sharpens it with the grinder, as if fine-tuning it…and then, after twelve hours, she finishes her work.
“…Nn. Done.” (Akira)
We head over to the smithy after being called by Akira, and she hands over a sword that shines with a jet-black color ― Dáinsleif, to Rina.
“――!? T-This is…”
Rina’s eyes widen as she fixedly stares at Dáinsleif in her hands.
“Shion! Are there no enemies!?” (Rina)
“Right now a 《Pseudo-Peace》 is in effect.” (Shion)
“…I see.” (Rina)
When I inform the excited Rina about the current situation, she lets her head hang in disappointment.
“Logs would be no problem?” (Shion)
“I won’t be able to demonstrate this guy’s…Dáinsleif’s evolution with logs.” (Rina)
“Is it that amazing?” (Shion)
“Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it! The familiarity in my hands…no, it feels as if it’s unified with me…!” (Rina)
Seeing Rina so excited, it looks like Akira’s reinforcement has succeeded.
I wonder whether I should ask her to work on my Gáelbolg as well…
Once I take out Gáelbolg, and direct my eyes at Akira, she says, “Impossible…tired,” and flops down on the spot out of total exhaustion.
There’s three hours left until the 《Pseudo-Peace》 comes to an end. I decide to postpone the weapon enhancement, and instead adjust my future plans.
Chapter 131 – Reign ①
Currently I’m ruling over 90 sectors. The areas under my control are: Kanezawa (though 30% is human land), the Kahoku District, Kahoku City, and Hakui City. Remaining in the prefecture’s north are: the Hakui District, Nanao, the Hosu District, the Kashima District, Wajima, and Suzu.
Based on that, the next invasion area is going to be the Hakui District, but――
“There’s too few, aren’t there?”
As far as I can see on the Domain distribution map that has been published online…there are six domains across the Hakui District with its area of 358 km². The number of Demon Kings in the area totals to two, one ruling over four sectors, and the other over two. 300 km² of land, which is equivalent to a bit less than 90%, belongs to humanity.
Areas with a low population that had already declined before the new world have naturally few people with an aptitude for 【Chaos】. I guess, as a result it has led to the phenomenon I’m looking at right now, very little land was converted into Domains.
Now then, how should I go about this?
Considering the future, I want to turn the entire region north of Kanezawa into my Domain ― a safe zone, by conquering the prefecture’s north. This will allow me to concentrate my defenses on the sectors in the south and east.
Until now, the human land enclosed by my Domain has automatically become part of my Domain, but with so few Domains being in this area, it’ll be impossible to enclose the entire region.
In that case, the solution is ― 《Reign》.
『Reign: Rule a territory with a radius of 3000 meters as your own domain by creating and installing a true core. If there are people submitting to you within the range of its effect, it becomes possible to welcome them as new subordinates. However, if there are hostile entities within the range of its effect, reign will fail.』
Hrm, even after looking at the explanation, I don’t quite get the idea behind it.
And even after looking up information about Reign on 『Laplace』, I don’t find anything.
As I’ve got nothing to lose anyway, I might as well try asking…
I use the smartphone capable of accessing 『Laplace』, and start posting in the thread where the upper class Demon Kings gather.
２９７ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：０５３６
I have a question for all of you senpai-sama. Have any of you used 《Reign》?
２９８ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：００１３
Saburo, huh? It’s been quite a while since the last post.
The answer to your question is YES.
２９９ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：００２７
The answer to your question ― ＹＥＳ *salute*
Uwaahh rofl. Sati, you’re so full of yourself though lmao.
３００ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：００７７
Nina, stop flaming all of a sudden.
By the way, for me it’s a no.
３０１ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：０００７
Just when I wondered about a new post after a long time, it’s you, Saburo-san.
My answer is YES.
For the flamer Nina (ID:0027) to have responded is really bad luck, but the other three posters are Demon Kings who write gentle posts. It’d be great if I could draw out some information here by acting modestly…
３０２ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：０５３６
I’ve been planning to enact 《Reign》 for the first time, but do you have any advice for me?”
３０３ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：００２７
Giving advice to your enemy!? roflmao Is your brain kinda f○ed up or something lol?
Nina responds the quickest to my question. He’s right, we’re in a hostile relationship. At the very least, Nina is going on my nerves so much that I’ll go kill him as soon as I find out his true identity.
３０４ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：０００７
Nina, your point of view is valid, but we are the chosen elite, aren’t we?
How about being a bit more open-minded?
３０５ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：００２７
Elites lmao. Seven, as always you’re on your elitist trip rofl. GJ on discrimination lol.
Having said that, I will give you just one piece of advice. Surround the neutrals.
３０６ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：００１３
You a tsundere!?
I suppose I’ll give my self-alleged junior a piece of advice as well. Go at it with a big army.
３０７ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：０００７
Well, then you get one from me as well.
Alchemize a megaphone.
I waited around five minutes afterwards, but the number of posts didn’t increase.
３０８ Nameless Upper Class Demon King ＩＤ：０５３６
Surround the neutrals, go at it with a big army, and alchemize a megaphone, it is.
Thank you very much for your kind advice, honorable senpais.
I give my thanks to the Demon Kings who gave me their advice, and logout of 『Laplace』.
Going by the map, the closest Domain is more than 10 km away. There’s plenty of room for the condition of 《Reign》, a radius of 2 x 3000 m, or in other words, a diameter of 6000 m.
According to the explanation, it’ll be fine as long as there are no hostile entities within that 6000 m circle when performing 《Reign》, right?
To go at it with a big army, as mentioned by Sati, is probably for the sake of expelling any hostile forces.
The surrounding of the neutrals mentioned by Nina…is because the neutrals aren’t recognized as hostile entities or something like that?
The alchemizing of a 【Megaphone】 as mentioned by Seven is…?
I select 【Item Creation】 on my smartphone, and look for 【Megaphone】.
『Megaphone: CP Cost: 5. Allows you to send your voice into the far distance by charging it with mana. Its effective range covers 3000 meters』
Its effective range is 3000 m. The range to be set up under the conditions of 《Reign》 is also 3000 m.
I don’t think this is a coincidence. 【Megaphone】 is probably an item necessary for 《Reign》.
The effect of 【Megaphone】 is just to send your voice into the far distance. How’s that going to help with 《Reign》?
For recommendation?
The explanation of 《Reign》 mentions 『If there exist people submitting to you in the range of its effect, it becomes possible to welcome them as new subordinates』.
I can encourage people within the area to become my subordinates by submitting to me by using 【Megaphone】. I think that’s the theory here.
Well, even if I keep guessing, it won’t lead anywhere.
I begin preparing to shift towards enacting 《Reign》 as soon as the 《Pseudo-Peace》 comes to an end.
Translation Notes:
